FS This telegram must be Paris closely paraphrased be- fore being c ommunicated Dated October 17, 1939 to anyone. (D) Rec'd 715 a.m. Secretary of State, Washington. RUSH 2487, October 17, 10 a.m. PERSONAL AND SECRET FOR THE PRESIDENT With reference to enclosure No. 1 to my letter of October 4, 1939, I now have the text of the agreement which Monnet concluded in London for the coordination of French- British economic activites during the war covering shipping, air production and supply raw materials and munntions, oil and food. Monnet was informed by the British Government that you had indicated to Lothian that you considsrsd a British mission preferable to a purchasing corporation. The question will be decided in Paris tonight or tomorrow. Because of the pooling of resources by the French and British Governments achieved agreement the French Government is inclined to believe that it would be preferable to make purchases in the United States through a single joint Franco-British mission. My opinion is that a joint Franco-British mission would be the most efficient mechanism. Question one. |